British Interpreter Accused of Spying for Iran

Corporal Daniel James, 45, worked for Britain's top commander in Afghanistan when he was recruited by Iran as a spy. According to prosecutors in the case against James which started this week the Corporal decided to spy for Iran after missing out on a promotion. James believed he missed the promotion and other 'suffering' due to racism, prosecutors believe.

Interesting about James' spy story is that he was not contacted by the Iranians himself. Rather, he approached them.

(British Corporal and Spy Daniel James)

"The allegation in this case is that during the latter part of 2006, the defendant's loyalty to this country wavered and his loyalties turned to Iran, the country of his birth," prosecutor Mark Dennis said.

"He turned his back on those with whom he was serving in Afghanistan and sought to become an agent for a foreign power and to provide information which would or might be of use to those who were actually engaged in active conflict with the peace-keeping force."

Dennis told the court that James 'made telephone contact with Colonel Mohammad Hossein Heydari who worked as Iran's military attaché at its embassy in Kabul and sent him coded messages in emails.'

"He had access to areas and information that no other soldier of corporal rank would have, due to his working alongside the general," Dennis said.

James was in "a unique position to overhear and glean a good deal of operational or strategic information if he chose to do so," he said.

"As General Richards himself puts it, the defendant's value as a hostile intelligence agent to a third party with aims contrary to that of the ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) and the government of Afghanistan cannot be underestimated."

James was arrested in December 2006, a couple of months after he had first made contact with the Iranians and, according to prosecutors, luckily before he could give them any truly important information. Nonetheless, they found a USB stick with highly sensitive information in his personal belongings, which would probably have been given to Iran. The sensitive information included documents about troops movements and knowledge of insurgency activities.

As far as this conservative Dutchman is concerned, James should be locked up for life if proven guilty. Such a punishment would be light considering that he would have been given the death penalty only a few decades ago (and quite rightfully so). The most horrendous crime one can commit is betraying one's country, it doesn't get much worse than that. The punishment should be in line with the seriousness of the crime: life imprisonment, no possibility for an early release.

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